Vintage car auction starts today

OWLS HEAD, Maine — Dozens of vintage cars and motorcycles dating from the early 1900s to the 1960s will be auctioned at the Owls Head Transportation Museum beginning today.

London-based Bonhams auction house will sell the cars and motorcycles, along with hundreds of motoring memorabilia and accessories, to the highest bidders Friday and Saturday. A preview will be held beginning at 9 a.m. Friday. The auction is 1-5 p.m. Friday and continues at 10:30 a.m. Saturday.

The collection belonged to Richard Paine Jr., who had a legendary status in the car collector world before his death last year. Hundreds of bidders are expected at the auction.

Among the highlights are a 1913 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost that is expected to draw bids in the $650,000 to $850,000 range and a 1910 Mercedes Benz Tourabout, which is expected to draw $500,000 to $600,000.

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Proceeds go to an endowment for the Seal Cove Auto Museum, which Paine founded and which houses his core collection.

Auction catalogs, which admit two people for the auction, cost $50 and are available at the museum. For more details, visit the Web site at www.bonhams.com/paine.